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Micromachines
Volume 16
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Nondestructive Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Energy Harvesting

by
Frank Eric Boye Anang
1,2,*,
Markys Cain
3,
Min Xu
4,
Zhi Li
4,
Uwe Brand
4,
Darshit Jangid
5,
Sebastian Seibert
5,
Chris Schwalb
5 and
Erwin Peiner
1,6,*
1
Instute of Semiconductor Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
2
Scientific Metrology Department, Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Accra P.O. Box MB 245, Ghana
3
Electrosciences Ltd., Farnham GU9 9QT, UK
4
Surface Metrology Department, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
5
Quantum Design Microscopy (QDM) GmbH, 64319 Pfungstadt, Germany
6
Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA), Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Micromachines 2025, 16(8), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16080927 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 15 July 2025 / Revised: 7 August 2025 / Accepted: 11 August 2025 / Published: 12 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Advanced Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters)
Versions Notes

Abstract

In this study we report on the structural, mechanical, and electrical characterization of different structures of vertically aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) synthesized using hydrothermal methods. By optimizing the growth conditions, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs show that the ZnO NWs could reach an astounding 51.9 ± 0.82 µm in length, 0.7 ± 0.08 µm in diameter, and 3.3 ± 2.1 µm-2 density of the number of NWs per area within 24 h of growth time, compared with a reported value of ~26.8 µm in length for the same period. The indentation modulus of the as-grown ZnO NWs was determined using contact resonance (CR) measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM). An indentation modulus of 122.2 ± 2.3 GPa for the NW array sample with an average diameter of ~690 nm was found to be close to the reference bulk ZnO value of 125 GPa. Furthermore, the measurement of the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) using the traceable ESPY33 tool under cyclic compressive stress gave a value of 1.6 ± 0.4 pC/N at 0.02 N with ZnO NWs of 100 ± 10 nm and 2.69 ± 0.05 µm in diameter and length, respectively, which were embedded in an S1818 polymer. Current–voltage (I-V) measurements of the ZnO NWs fabricated on an n-type silicon (Si) substrate utilizing a micromanipulator integrated with a tungsten (W) probe exhibits Ohmic behavior, revealing an important phenomenon which can be attributed to the generated electric field by the tungsten probe, dielectric residue, or conductive material.
Keywords: piezoelectric nanogenerator; zinc oxide nanowire; SEM; contact resonance; piezoelectric coefficient d33; electrical probing piezoelectric nanogenerator; zinc oxide nanowire; SEM; contact resonance; piezoelectric coefficient d33; electrical probing

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MDPI and ACS Style

Anang, F.E.B.; Cain, M.; Xu, M.; Li, Z.; Brand, U.; Jangid, D.; Seibert, S.; Schwalb, C.; Peiner, E. Nondestructive Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Energy Harvesting. Micromachines 2025, 16, 927. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16080927

AMA Style

Anang FEB, Cain M, Xu M, Li Z, Brand U, Jangid D, Seibert S, Schwalb C, Peiner E. Nondestructive Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Energy Harvesting. Micromachines. 2025; 16(8):927. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16080927

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anang, Frank Eric Boye, Markys Cain, Min Xu, Zhi Li, Uwe Brand, Darshit Jangid, Sebastian Seibert, Chris Schwalb, and Erwin Peiner. 2025. "Nondestructive Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Energy Harvesting" Micromachines 16, no. 8: 927. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16080927

APA Style

Anang, F. E. B., Cain, M., Xu, M., Li, Z., Brand, U., Jangid, D., Seibert, S., Schwalb, C., & Peiner, E. (2025). Nondestructive Mechanical and Electrical Characterization of Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Energy Harvesting. Micromachines, 16(8), 927. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16080927

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